Microsoft brings AutoSave to the core Office application for Mac

While the AutoSave feature was added to Windows Office software since August last year, Mac users running the Office software have had to make do with the rather uncompromisingly absent of the nifty Office feature until now.

Microsoft last week added AutoSave to the core applications in Office for Mac 2016, and also to subscribers of Office 365.

Microsoft Office for Mac 2016 with refresh version number of 16.9, now automatically save files opened on Word, Excel and PowerPoint from Microsoft's cloud-based storage services, including OneDrive, OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online.

The AutoSave widget is at the top-left of the Word, Excel and PowerPoint windows when the file being edited is opened from one of the support online storage services.

With files automatically saved to the cloud repository every few seconds, which interval may vary depending on what you are working on, according to Microsoft. And locally-stored files, when opened, will show a dimmed widget indicating that AutoSave is not available.

The widget can also be used to disable AutoSave for that specific file, or turn back on the feature for the same file later.

Albeit, AutoSave for Office on Windows can be permanently disabled through the registry hacks, which instructions are available online, there isn't a similar workaround for the Mac Office.

Other new features for Office 2016 on Mac includes: real-time collaborative editing in all three applications, additional Excel charts, and a quick-start assistant in PowerPoint. And perhaps for the first time in over 20 years, Office is again built out on one codebase for all platforms (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android).